Montage
by Darkly Ironic
Summary: A collection of drabbles, often with odd prompts and minor characters.
1. Shortcomings

Characters: Johnny Snow, Hourglass

Johnny shifted in his seat, fingers picking at the zipper pull of his parka. The woman sitting across from him ignored this. "More tea?" She offered.

Johnny shook his head.

Hourglass sighed. "You've been here ten minutes, and you've barely said a word. You have to give me something to work with."

He glanced up, startled. "You don't know why I'm here?"

"It's Dr. Horrible isn't it?"

"You did know!"

"I guessed. I watch his blog."

"Oh. There was a long pause. Then— "I'm a good hero—I've got superpowers, I've got a costume—" He tugged at his parka. "What's _wrong_ with me?"

Hourglass patted his hand, not seeming to notice his icy skin. "Give it time," she said, and Johnny knew that was the most he was going to get.


	2. Lost

A/N OK, I forgot to put a disclaimer and note on the first chapter. Here it is: Not mine in any way shape or form. This is my first foray into this 'verse, so any reviews or constructive criticism are welcome and appreciated. Thanks, and enjoy!

"Are you lost?" The woman on the bench asked Penny after she'd waked past her three times. Penny stopped.

"I guess. I'm trying to find the Caring Hands Group—" She smiled apologetically. "You wouldn't know—?"

"You're in the right place." The woman stood and gestured down a branch of the walkways leading out of the tiny courtyard between office blocks where they stood. "It's down there—the door's for the hairdressers—then up the stairs."

"Thanks. I've got a job interview there—didn't want to be late."

"Good luck." Penny started to walk away, but the woman wasn't finished. "If you don't get the job, they're always looking for volunteers."

"Thanks." Penny said again.

Hourglass stayed in the courtyard after Penny was gone. "Poor girl," she said aloud. But she had done what she had to. Everything happens.


	3. Running

"Doctor Horrible, we meet at last!"

Billy sighed and turned. Johnny Snow was standing behind him. He threw back the hood of has parka and looked heroic. "Are you ready to face your doom?"

"I'm shopping." Billy told him. He held up a carton of eggs as proof. Johnny recoiled like it was a hand grenade.

"You're in costume." Johnny said when he'd recovered.

It was true. Billy had been forced to make an emergency grocery run when he'd found out he was actually expected to bring something to the potluck the Henchmen's Union was hosting, and he hadn't had time to change out of his lab coat. That still didn't excuse Johnny's behavior. And he really didn't have time for a fight. Or want to go to the potluck with frostbite and a black eye. Billy made a snap decision.

"OK, how about Dooley Park, tomorrow, one o'clock?"

Johnny's eyes lit up. "Deal!"

"Great. See you then." Billy edged out from around him and made his escape. He wondered what Johnny's reaction would be when he didn't show up. Surely it wouldn't be surprise? What was more villainous then breaking your word? Anyway he didn't have time to waste on small-timers like Snow. Soon his Freeze Ray would be ready, and then—well his _real_ nemesis should look out.

Billy let loose a quiet evil laugh as he left the store, then frowned. Still not quite right. Oh well, he could practice later, when he had time. After all, soon he would have all the time in the world. He laughed again, much better. Maybe he was getting the hang of it.


	4. Rules

The Hero always gets the girl. It's a Rule.

Penny smiled at Hammer as they left the Laundromat. He linked an arm around her possessively, and smiled back, because it was easy and natural. Hammer sensed his nemesis's glare burning into his back, but he didn't care. What could Horrible do now? Oh, sure, he'd fight back. He'd probably come up with some pathetic plan, build a new sci-fi ray gun, but it would end like it always did: Dr. Horrible defeated and unconscious, and Captain Hammer effortlessly saving the city. Of course, this time he'd win Penny too.

Tough.


	5. Fixed

A/N Sort-of sequel to "Lost".

He'd confronted Hourglass when she left work, looming out of the shadows as she locked the door of her shop.

"Why didn't you tell me it would end like this?" He demanded. He looked angrier than Hourglass had ever seen him, but she didn't have much to go by. Her knowledge of the hero was newscasts and Dr. Horrible's scathing anecdotes. They where defiantly not friends, and a big damn hero like Captain Hammer never had any reason to see a psychic. Until now.

"What was I supposed to have told you?" Hourglass knew, but she had to be cautious. It was a fine line between Heroes and Villains, and she was careful to keep to it exactly.

"Why didn't you tell me she'd die?!" He grabbed Hourglass's shoulders, and shook her. She yanked herself free and glared at him.

"It doesn't work like that!" She made sure her anger showed. "You never asked, and even if you had I couldn't have told you. Wouldn't."

For a second she thought he was going to hit her. Then something crumbled inside the hero. The fire went out of him, and he suddenly looked as defeated as Dr. Horrible said he was.

"Some things just—happen." She said, softer. "I'm sorry."

Captain Hammer nodded slowly. "So am I."


	6. Contact

The League didn't encourage friendships. Actually, Tie-Die didn't think much of them herself, so it was weird to be pulling a heist with Fury Leika _for fun_. The two women had joined the League at about the same time, both where fed up with the happy, oblivious sheep they'd been surrounded by. Or Tie-Die was. Leika only wanted to destroy half of them.

So here they were, robbing a bank. It had been a sort of "oh, let's have a night out on the town" kind of thing, but, being villainesses, it was a given that it'd be illegal.

"Ready?" Tie nodded, and pressed the button, detonating the plastic explosive on the door of the vault. As the smoke cleared, unseen by the bank employees and customers cowering on the floor, Leika and Tie high-fived.


	7. Agenda

Fury Leika scared him. She was sitting across the table and at an angle from him, but that didn't stop her smiling slyly and batting her eyelashes at him.

Leika didn't like men. _Really_ didn't like them, and the fact that she was spending half the meeting flirting with him made him his eye twitch madly under his goggles. What was she _doing_?

She cornered him after the meeting. He tried to avoid her, slipping around behind Professor Normal, and out the door, but she was waiting for him, concealed behind a potted plant in the lobby.

"Hi." He managed.


	8. Dairy

"I've told you, I don't care if it's fat-free or 2%!" Dead Bowie didn't get aggravated easily, but Snake Bite was an exception. "It's not like any of us drink the stuff." He considered. "Well, Dr. Horrible might."

"It'sss not for usss, you fool." Snake Bite hissed. Bowie wasn't offended. He knew hissing was Snake Bite's default tone.

"Then who?" He shifted the ray gun in his grip. He didn't have much experience holding corner-stores hostage, but he was pretty sure the police would arrive soon.

"My snakess."

Bowie rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"Take the 2%. Let'ss go."


End file.
